John R. Stange

John Roland Stange passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, October 29, 2023.  John was born September 29, 1939, in La Crosse to Roland and Catherine (Weber) Stange.  He graduated from Logan High School in La Crosse where he played football and ran track.  John was an avid softball player and was rumored to have skipped his own graduation ceremony to play in a softball tournament out of town. He was also an avid sportsman. He fished, trapped and hunted pretty much every variety of game Wisconsin had to offer, and made several trips out west with friends and relatives to hunt elk and mule deer.  His favorite past time was spending time outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, working in the garage, and even maintenance and upkeep of the boathouse.  After his retirement he loved to go hunting with his grandsons, Joey and Charlie, and was a regular spectator at all of their sporting and band events.

On November 27, 1971, John married the love of his life, Elda Ideker, and they moved to Holmen, where they lived, and raised their two sons, Tom and Mark, until Elda passed away in January of 2020. He continued to live in the family home until just a few weeks before passing, when he made the decision to move to the Serenity House in Tomah WI.

John worked a variety of jobs throughout his life, from working twice at the local brewery, to driving truck, to becoming a certified boiler operator, to even becoming a special deputy for the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Department.  He retired a proud member of the Teamster’s union.  He also volunteered on the Holmen Fire Department, reaching the rank of Lieutenant before retiring.

John is survived by his two sons: Thomas (Patti) Stange, and Mark (Angela) Stange, his two grandsons: Joseph and Charlie Stange, three sisters: Mary (Bob) Pehler, Jean (Don) Pehler, Joan (John) Mutch, his brother Robert Stange, Elda’s brother Allen (Bernie) Ideker, her brother Howard’s widow Janet Ideker,  her sister Shirley (Steven) Blegen, and too many nieces, nephews, and their offspring to list.

John’s wish was to be cremated and laid to rest with his wife at their burial plot in Brownsville, MN. A private ceremony will take place with the family, but plans will be made to have a celebration of his life in the spring when we can all pay our respects outdoors, as we believe he would have wanted.